Anywhere But Here (Foxface/Marvel) THGFic

Chapter 1

Foxface’s POV

“Finch!” chirps the boldly dressed lady standing on the terrace of the Justice Building.

Me. That’s me. I stand there, open mouthed, until somebody gives me a little push from behind. The crowd in front of me parts and allows me up the stairs to the towering, yet crumbling building in view. I tuck a strand of my loosely flowing fire-red hair behind my ear and swallow deeply before ascending the stairs and taking a place next to my new escort.

She then continues on to reap a male. A black haired boy takes his place on the opposite side of our escort. He is a little taller than me, although we are probably about the same age. The escort then gestures for us to shake hands and we comply after which we're swept inside the old building and taken to our own rooms. 

After a few minutes, my mother and father enter the room, weeping. I run to them and hug them for what could be the final time. My father tucks the loose strand of my hair behind my ear again and plants a kiss on my forehead, my mother planting a kiss on my cheek after.

“Look after yourself,” I manage to let escape from my throat whilst holding back the tears that threaten to fall down my cheeks.

“Don’t worry about us,” replies my father, forcing a smile, “You just concentrate on getting back home.”

“I’m sure you’ll do fine,” continues mother.

Just then, a peacekeeper enters the room. We say our final goodbyes and he takes them away before slamming the door shut. I take a seat on a sofa facing out of the window and into the town square where the Reaping had just been held.

“You will come back, right, Finch?” whimpers a voice behind me. I jump up, startled to see my best friend, Mae, standing in the doorway. She runs over and hugs me so tightly that when I pull away I gasp for breath. “I’ll try, Mae, of course I’ll try, but there is a very slim chance I’ll make it. I don’t even know who has been reaped from the other districts, but I’m sure I can out fox them all!” Mae lets out a small giggle and a single tear escapes her eye. I don't like seeing Mae cry. It has only happened once before, the day her parents died in a factory accident. The division of the electricity power plant they were working in blew up and they were burnt to death. Her father would have been safe is he didn’t go back to save his wife, but he wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if he didn’t. Mae had lived with her brother ever since, and he comes to visit after she is taken away. He gives me a tight squeeze and places something in my hand before whispering in my ear, “remember me.” He closes my hand around the object and places my hand in the pocket of my jacket. He then gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and leaves as swiftly as possible. A peacekeeper comes and guides me down to the lobby where our escort is waiting along with our mentors, an alcoholic male and a female who looks as if she would really rather be elsewhere.

“Great,” I think to myself, “They’re definitely going to get me sponsors.”

We're taken in a car to the station where we take a high speed train to the Capitol. It takes just over a day to arrive, as District 5 is in quite a close proximity to the Capitol compared to other districts. We sit down to a fancy meal and the next few days go by in a flash...

Marvel’s POV

My eyes fix on the tall, blonde female standing in front of the Justice Building next to her escort. Her name is Glimmer and she was the lucky female who volunteered and was chosen to represent District 1 in the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Before I can think about anything else, I hear my name being called. My gaze shoots up and I realise that the voice belonged to the escort. I hear people yelling "I volunteer!" from left, right and centre, but I shout at everyone I can, wave away their requests, which sound more like pleas, and walk swiftly to the terrace. I lock eyes with Glimmer and she gives me a reassuring smile that I return. Well, she can't do much else, soon we’ll be working together to survive. Once we've boarded the train, we only have enough time for a meal and a shower before we arrive at the Capitol, given that we're a neighbouring district. By the time we reach the Capitol it's late afternoon and Glimmer and I are talking tactics. We meet our stylists and prep teams and have another meal before getting an early nights rest ready for training tomorrow.